Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-08-15
Awful Disaster

II i reported tllat an excursion
train on the Toledo. Peoria and Mar
saw rsilrosd went through bridge
AZ CharSworJh. H.. late on the night
of Aug 10th. and that one hundred
people were killed and injured
Dispatches from Peoria. H.. say
that the train consisted Of fifteen
cars. and wsS en- route for Nisgara
Falls. \ relief train with twenty
four doctors went from Peoria 70 the
scene Of the accident
The train left Bloomington for Nj
agara Falls on the Illinois Central,
the intention being 10 20 by that road
IS far as Chatsworth. and from thence
bv way Of the Toledo. Peoria and
Warsaw The change was made az
Chatsworth. IN Livingston county,
and son afterward. - the train
neared Piper City q small town in
Ford county. the bridge crossing the
YermiIlion River gave way, plunging
the engine and several cars down i
steep embankment into the stream
The ears caught fire from the lamps
and s fearful panic ensued- On in
veStigation It was found that nearly
one hundred excursioni<tS were killed
or injured. The conductor OF s Chi
cago aud Alton passenger in-which
had Just arrived IN Chicago from
Bloomington. where the Toledo. Peo-
ria and Warsaw and the Chicago and
Alton railways connect. learned from
one Of the conductors OF the first
named road that the excursion train.
while on the bridge near Piper City.
came into collision with another train
going in the opposite direction. The
cars Of the excursion train were piled
up On each other IN -frightfuI confu-
sion. and from the shock OF the col
ESiOn the bridge gave way and sever
81 cars went down into the stream
The conductor says that the killed
numbered between 20 and 30. and
that the injured are more than twice
that number. The accident occurred
some time between midnight and four
O'Clock
Another account received st the
Illinois Central offices in Chicago l.
that the train consisted Of two en-
gines and sixteen coaches. The cul-
vert had been burned away about two
miles east Of Chatsworth, presumably
by the prairie ire. and 81 about one
o'clock II the morning the engines
and coaches went over The agent
At Chatsworth reports 70 the general
manager. E P jeffrey. Of the Hi
nois Central that over one hundred
are killed and about 8 ike number
injured He can give No further
particulars Two Peoria gentlemen
no zz--e-==gFsza easLv tIrr rz1ezI urs.s..-
reached Chicago on the morning UE
the 18th. having 81 the last moment
selected another route east They
say the train was made up st Peoria
- that probably the majority Of the
victims arg from the city OF it inme-
diate vicinity Twelve cars started
from Pe0ria- Including four sIeepers
Attached % the train vas the private
car Of the superintendent OF the road.
which was 10 be occupied By himself
and hi son The departure from
Peoria wa- 81 p n, and the inten-
ton vas TO take on another coach
filed with excursioni>ts At Blooming
ton Then the run Vas 70 Be BIZ the
way OF Logansport. Indiana and
Detroit The programme seems 70
have been fully carried out until the
great thrOng o. pleasure seekers met
such fearful check Al the bridge
over the VermiIIiOn River
i dispatch from Chatzworth. H..
says: The two engines were CON-
pIeteIv wrecked. together with ten
caches and baggage cars. Engineer
McClintoek was instantly killed. Two
fremen and the other engineer escap-
ed serious injury The ten cars were
piled Oh top Of the two engines, being
telescoped and piled across and On
top q each other Il i miraculous
how any escaped. a. the coaches and
engines Do not occupy over two car
lengths Of track and al on top Of the
road bed In one coach, not . person
escaped. In smother only 3 woman.
s heavy rain st II about two hours
after the wreck. before the wounded
could 4 taken aEay-
The latest up 70 Friday night re-
ports about 100 dead and 100 seri-
Ously wounded. besides many who
were slightly injured, Of whom no
record Is made Il L rurnOred that
the catastrophe was ca1sed b. an Or
gained band Of rufHzns. who set tne
bridge On fire. and the company con
slder the matter worthy Of serious IL
vestigatI0n-
To the People Of Vermont